A Frozen Playdate

 Frozen fun and activities make for this chilly play date. 

Start the play date with these fun paper snowflake patterns from the movie Frozen from anthony herrera designs.

Good for ages 9 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.anthonyherreradesigns.com/index.php/8-ahd-blog/15-frozen-snowflakes

Next have a fun sing-a-long with the Disney song videos containing lyrics on YouTube.

Next, make Frozen popcorn balls made with white and blue M&Ms, snowflake sprinkles, and marshmallows from life made simple.

Get the instructions here:
http://lifemadesimplebakes.com/2014/04/popcorn-snowballs/

Finally watch the movie.  Available at Amazon.

Eskimo Play Date

Pay homage to the Eskimos with this fun winter themed play date.  

A paper plate and cotton balls and crayons or markers turn into a fun Eskimo face to start off this Eskimo play date.

Get the instructions here:
http://kiboomukidssongs.com/easy-winter-eskimo-craft/

Next read the classic tale about an Eskimo child testing the limits of her independence, and a mother who reassuringly proves that a parents love is unconditional and everlasting is a perfect first book for toddlers.  Available at Amazon or check it out from your local library.

Next make fun fruit Popsicle using colorful fruit.

Get the instructions here:
http://favim.com/image/37830/

Then cardboard takes on winter with mr. printables' free diy Eskimo snow scene.  Complete with all your favorite arctic animals including a moose, dog sled, polar bear,deer and sled dogs.  He even provides snow topped pine trees to complete this chilly ensemble.

Good for ages 10 and up.

Get the template here:
http://www.mrprintables.com/peg-dolls-winter-wonderland.html

Paper Plate Birds

 Celebrate international bird day with these ideas for how to make a paper plate bird.

Happy hooligans turns a painted paper plate into a bird by folding it in half, gluing on some colorful construction strips to make a tail and feathers to make it a bird.  She also adds a paper beak and googly eyes but you could also draw on the eyes.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://happyhooligans.ca/2013/03/07/paper-plate-birds/

Molly moo paper marches her plates and adds funky gym shoes as well.

Get the instructions here:
http://mollymoo.ie/papier-mache-paper-plate-hens/

Krokotak makes her birds with tissue paper wings, a colored in orange beak and googly eye.

Get the instructions here:
http://krokotak.com/2011/06/idei-ot-kartoneni-tchiniyki/

 

 

Another version by krokotak.

Easy preschool craft uses the full plate for her bird adding two corners for wings and a paper orange beak and brown paper legs.

Get the instructions here:
http://easypreschoolcraft.blogspot.com/2012/05/spring-bluebird-paper-plate-craft.html

House of baby piranha adds folded paper wings and a long orange paper beak.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.houseofbabypiranha.com/2010/06/paper-plate-bird.html

Free kids crafts makes a blue bird for her version with a blue feather.  She even gives the bird a worm.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.freekidscrafts.com/paper-plate-bluebird/

My bored toddler adds feathers and paper tail feathers.

Get the instructions here:
http://myboredtoddler.com/paper-plate-bird/

There's a snowman in my tubby

'Tis the season to make some snowmen soap.  Find a bunch of tutorials below.  One is sure to be right for you.

With a grater white soap can transform into an indoor snowball.  Alpha mom then takes these snowballs and makes snowmen giving them googly eyes, sequin buttons and even a soap hat.  A recipe for a great time in the bath. 

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://alphamom.com/family-fun/crafts/diysnowman-soap/

Kix cereal finds a cute way to use the Ivory soap after it blows up in the microwave.  They push it into a flat pan and then use a circle cookie cutter or lid to make round disks.  Next they add orange food coloring to a small batch of the soap, smooth that into a smaller flat pan and cut out carrot shaped noses.  Finally they use a toothpick to add food coloring eyes.

Get the instructions here:
http://kixcereal.com/kix-cereal-snowman-soap-experiment/

Keeping it simple crafts uses a liquid hand soap container and sticks on a vinyl eyes, nose and mouth.   She next adds a washi tape scarf.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/2012/12/snowman-soap-neighbor-gift.html

Crafts and crap uses hand sanitizer.  she glues on buttons, ties on a red ribbon scarf, and glues on a foam eyes, nose and mouth.

Get the instructions here:
http://craftsandcrap.blogspot.com/2010/12/snowman-hand-sanitizer.html

Family go round grates Ivory soap and forms it into balls to make her snowman.  She adds 2 colored Q-Tip arms.

Get the instructions here:
http://familygo-round.blogspot.com/p/arts-n-craft-new-project-every-day.html

Craft elf grates soap too and uses a tooth pick and food coloring to paint on buttons and a face.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.craftelf.com/Winter_Soap_Snowman.htm

How do I make soap uses professional soap supplies, but you could simply melt a clear soap instead and uses vinyl cut outs of the face, hat, arms and scarf.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.howdoimakesoap.com/2013/01/03/melted-snowman/

Signature creations uses a bottle as well.

Get the instructions here:
http://signaturecreationsllc.blogspot.com/2012_12_01_archive.html

A mom blog gets really colorful adding beads and gems.

Get the instructions here:
http://amomblog.com/snowman-tutorial/

Toddler approved makes the snowman on paper adding buttons and felt and then ties it onto the soap bottle with a ribbon double serving as a scarf.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2014/01/gifts-made-by-kids-snowman-soap-bottles.html

Jamie over at frogs snails and puppy dog tails draws a rectangle snowman using markers and glues it onto the bottle.

Get the instructions here:
http://frogsandsnailsandpuppydogtail.com/2014/01/decorated-snowman-soap-bottles.html

Craft int interrupted uses the Ivory soap after the microwaving experiment too but molds her version into a three-dimensional soap snowman.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.craftinterrupted.com/2013/01/fun-jar-31-snowless-snowman.html

Frosty the Snowman Playdate

Have a fun winter day with this Frosty the Snowman play date.  

Begin the day by making this cute snowman photo frame.  Start by painting a wooden frame blue and then use a smaller brush to paint on some white snow.  Next make a felt snowman using white circles for the snowman.  Adding buttons, a glitter paper scarf, googly eyes, and felt nose, hat and mouth to finish.  One artsy mama shares the details.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.oneartsymama.com/2014/12/snowman-photo-frame.html

Next make banana snowmen adding mini pretzel stick arms, blueberry buttons, and mini chocolate chip eyes from the picky apple.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.thepickyapple.com/blog/2011/12/13/north-pole-breakfast/

 

Next it's time to read the classic book Frosty the Snowman by available at Amazon.

Or get the lyrics for free from http://www.kidsongs.com/lyrics/frosty-the-snowman.html.

 

End the play date with a viewing  of the Frosty the Snowman movie also available at Amazon.

Or watch it for free on YouTube (in two parts):

A Wintery Tree Playdate

Kids can start the play date and create their own pretty colored winter trees with mary making using white circles for snow and wintry color tissue papers. 

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://marymaking.blogspot.com/2009/11/colorful-abstract-winter-trees.html 

 

Next, check out Carole Gerber's Book Winter Trees full of the subtle charms of trees in winter. On a walk through a forest, a boy observes the branches, shapes, and various barks. He and his dog make snow angels, watch animals quietly eating, and tap a maple tree for syrup.  In a simple poetic form, seven trees are described: sugar maple, American beech, paper birch, yellow poplar, bur oak, Eastern hemlock, and white spruce. Readers get a sense of what they look like from a distance ("the egg shape of the maple tree/the taller oval of the beech…" and up close ("the peeling bark of paper birch/feeds hungry hares that eat their fill").  The illustrations mix prints, watercolor, and collage, and are tweaked with digital enhancement. 

The book is also available on Amazon.

Next have the kids create their own tree snacks using chunks of cheese and grapes and a celery stick for the trunk.

If the weather is not too cold complete this cute winter scavenger hunt.

Get the template here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_QY0YTOrC2-vwC712v_T8wHHLHCMTydJ8n3w-yEk-Rk/pub

Free January Craft Activities

Find a free or low cost kids craft activity for kids this January.

Saturday, January 3rd9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Home Depot

Come learn how to build a mini sled with Home Depot's free hands-on workshops; designed for children ages 5 - 12.  All kid get to keep their craft, receive a free certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a commemorative pin.

Register here:
http://workshops.homedepot.com/workshops/kids-workshops 

Tuesday, January 6th
5:00 p.m.

 
Lego Stores

Build an alien and space dog.  For kids ages 6-14.

Get more information here:
http://cache.lego.com/r/stores/-/media/brand%20retail/stores/calendar/january/4913-jan2015-cal-us.pdf?l.r=-668400344

Saturday, January 10th
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Michaels

For ages 3 and up.  $2.  Make a monogrammed, stitched felt pouch.

Get more information here:
http://www.michaels.com/kids-club/ca-kids-club.html

Saturday, January 17th
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Michaels

For ages 3 and up.  $2.  Make a frozen inspired picture frame complete with pompoms and glitter.

Get more instructions here:
http://www.michaels.com/kids-club/ca-kids-club.html